FIFA to Gay Soccer Fans: Fuck You!

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest obstacles in its bid to host the world’s most popular sporting event was the brutal summer heat. The average daytime high during the weeks when the World Cup is traditionally played is between 106 and 115 degrees.

Qatar, which of course is flush with cash thanks to its massive oil and gas deposits, promised to develop technology that would use solar energy to power air conditioners that would make everyone nice and comfy. Everyone except gay people, of course.

What has been seemingly absent from the initial coverage is the fact that homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, punishable by up to five years imprisonment. Did FIFA demand that Qatar change this policy before awarding it the World Cup? I suppose it’s possible – there’s been a lot of, uh, shall we say “wheeling and dealing” going on throughout the entire bidding process – but if it happened it hasn’t been reported.

Soccer is the world’s most popular sport. Certainly, some soccer fans are gay. If FIFA gave Qatar the World Cup without some assurance that it would repeal its policies against homosexuality then its essentially telling millions of gay soccer fans around the world: Fuck You.